To think in a phone free school students need to have access to other devices in this day and age?

[caniquitwork]

New guidance very strong on no phones at all in schools, but in my daughter’s school they have not got other devices to use, neither personal nor provided by the school- and so many lesson activities nowadays rely on use of technology. How does it work at schools you know?

We use paper mostly! Lessons that actually require computers are timetabled in computer rooms.

In countries with the highest standards of education (Singapore is one) technology is definitely used in the classroom. We are in the tech age, AI is growing exponentially and if we want our children to be up to speed with the best, we need to prepare them. For example, the Singapore board of education has commissioned a tech provider to develop an AI programme specifically to be used in their education system (screening out the risky AI stuff, while still training the kids to use it).

Having said that, the school should provide access to the tech. Just 'no tech' doesn't work.

My DD secondary was using Kahoot and Blooket in lessons before. I think they have gone phone free this year. I think it's mad we don't use technology where it's appropriate.

My DD is much worse with computers than DH and me. We are in our 50s. I'm not talking about how to use tiktok. But it's the general concepts like where are your files stored when working on the laptop (cloud vs local). Or using google or AI agents to do searches. You are expected to use AI to search and write code and do powerpoints at work. KS3 computing lessons are totally ineffective. The teacher told us they weren't teaching more because many of the kids are computer illiterate. This is a affluent comprehensive in a leafy suburb, where all the kids have phones.

She had a story of a kid who didn't know how to turn on the computer in the school labs.

Schools are just as keen to keep phones out of classrooms as the campaigners - they are nothing but a distraction or worse for teachers/DSLs. Children who need to contact parents can use the school office. In many cases, I don’t get why a young kid/tween has a phone that can expose them to a lot of harm.

Tech in classrooms (for a research task, for example) would be provided by the school - I can’t imagine any teachers planning a lesson assuming students will take out a smart phone for a section of it. Again, teachers don’t want phones anywhere near school as they cause so many pastoral issues.

Personally, I think some schools have gone a bit tech heavy (laptops or iPads for every kid) but there is a place for tech in schools. To believe that we should be getting rid of all screens and returning to blackboards and books for everything is a knee jerk reaction, IMO. I think the total screen free push isn’t acknowledging how tech can be used to enhance lessons and engage students, especially individuals with certain learning styles. Not to mention the skills they will be using later in life (if only because most stuff is accessible online now).

Schools can try their best to acknowledge the impact of screens on young people and adapt their teaching as necessary (based on child development studies rather than current trends) but it is ultimately up to parents to limit the ‘dangerous’ side of screen time - unmonitored access to the internet/social media, hours of mindless games/apps and 24/7 access to their peers.

Here in Knowsley, the girls being sexually harassed coming out of school was ignored, then denied by the police. If they hadn't have had mobile phones to film what was going on, it would have only been a matter of time before the sexual harrasment escalated. I'm older than you and have granddaughters, there is no way my GC will be going to school without phones.

Ours are allowed to have phones in their bags, but not use them during the school day.

But what’s absurd is that teachers ask them to get them out to use in class, to take photos of whatever, even their bloody detentions are reported on an app. Once dd missed a detention for a late homework assignment because the detention was given on the app, but she doesn’t use her phone during the day as per school policy, so she had no way of knowing she was given a detention for the afternoon until she got on the bus and checked her phone.

It’s ridiculous. I’m very happy for them to be no phones, but no phones should mean no phones. 🤷🏻‍♀️

😂 as if kids are learning how to touch type...

Well ,if only these children had some sort of adult in their lives outside of Mon-fri 8-4, and Weekends and school holidays to show them how to do this...

Yeah, if only EVERY CHILD had an adult in their life who was engaged with technology and cared enough to think about how this technology may impact on their child for years to come, do some research of their own amd came back to have valuable conversations and oversight around that child's use of technology.

This isn't a 'some parents are lazy' issue. Some parents struggle with technology beyond the basics, is that the guide you would choose for your own child? If not then it isn't good enough for anyone's child.

The most meaningful conversations that these kids will have about technology are peer-to-peer debates overseen by a knowledgeable adult.

Ds has had to hand in his phone at 8.30am for the last 6.5 years.

He hasn't needed it once during school hours. The only time he gouged a lump out of his knee, the school office rang me. Really no big deal.

Schools here expect parents to buy an iPad or suitable technology.

No come onnnnn it's not the school's sole responsibility.

And if you haven't got parents "on board" you're fighting a losing battle anyway. We know 8 year old on TikTok on their iPhones.... No amount of tech education in secondary is going to stop that problem

I don't really understand the issue.

My kids secondary school has a very strict "no phone" policy and they don't have any device at all. They don't seem to miss them, to do what?

However, all school reports (attendance, detention etc) are on an app that kids (and parents) access on their phone
all the homework is set on app and google classroom, teachers send emails to the kids etc

So in short, during the school day, it's strictly no device
but everything else at home requires a screen. Perfect balance, they learn how to use them without being distracted at school

I find the use of these Ed Tech games really hamper the children's ability to concentrate in 'ordinary' classroom teaching and complete a worksheet. My Y3 child always tries to persuade me he has assigned work online which I avoid. His education at age 7 is not going to be hampered by not doing a game - in fact probably the opposite as he gets hooked and wants more bells and whistles. Also regarding assigning work on smartphones the Education Secretary has now said no child will be disadvantaged by not having a smartphone. I find it strange that schools try to rely on parents supplying an expensive device - how is that inclusive? Anyway that's out the door now and legislation on its way to underpin phone bans. How each school achieves an effective ban yet to be seen.

I have 5 children, aged 21,19,17,16 and 14, who attended the same Secondary school, West London. 4 years ago there was a huge push for every student to purchase a Chromebook and software through the school,inorder to use them daily in certain lessons. Hardship discounts available, monthly payment oprtions and Chromebooks would be available during lessons for any child who did not own one. Then 3 years ago we were told we had to pay £25 per child for a magnetic pouch so all mobile phones were locked in pouch from start to end of school day. Many parents complained and didnt pay for these pouches. All children were issued a pouch whether they had paid or not. The consequences for being found with a mobile phone not locked in a pouch are: 1st time, confiscation of the phone for a week. 2nd time, confiscation until the end of term.

Lessons do not need phones and indeed should NOT be relying on devices that cannot be used in school.

Every kid in our school has a government provided iPad and it’s used in all lessons and for all homework

I get the no smart phones thing and I’m in favour of it. However, I do get a bit annoyed when schools ban phones and then all set homework is on apps. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Certain kids may genuinely need a phone

e.g.

diabetic kids to run their pump / cgm to monitor and control their sugars.

am sure there are others with a genuine need but they definitely are in the minority and need to be accessed on a case by case basis.

the vast majority of kids can survive the school day without access to devices and probably do better for not having access to them

Im not sure if you are serious

Schools in the channel islands have banned phones in schools. It is a joy to teach in them now

There are laptops for lessons which need them or computer rooms